Young Sylvia

Gustavo Quintero
English 48B
February 26, 2008
Journal #30 Sarah Orne Jewett


Quote:
"She did not dare to look boldly at the tall young man, who carried a gun over his shoulder, but she came out of her bush and again followed the cow, while he walked alongside"(Jewett 523).


Summary:
After Sylvia and the hunter have met for the first time, hunter demands for place to stay and for food. Sylvia takes him to her grandmothers house.



Response:
Here we see the first encounter between the hunter and Sylvia. Sylvia, deathly afraid of the young man, jumps into the bush with her cow at the sound of his whistle. The young man introduces himself and demands that Sylvia take him to a place for lodging and food. I found this quote to be important because it introduces us to a very defining trait that Sylvia shows. Since she is so shy and afraid of people she is always described as following people around. Here she is following the cow as she brings the man to her house. She never seems to lead the way. Later on on the story Sylvia is following the man around like a little dog. I think that this action says a lot about who Sylvia really is. She lacks so much confidence and self esteem that she can not even bring herself to walk in front of anybody and lead the way. She is always following behind someones footsteps. Here she finds herself not even able to lead the cow, her only friend. This story is a tale of growing up and sexual maturing. The contrast between Sylvia in the beginning of the story and the end is a stark difference. By the end of the story she finds herself with a confidence that she has never had before. This confidence is the most important thing that could have happened to Sylvia because it breaks her from the shy little girl into a a more mature girl with a new found confidence. The oppression and isolation that Sylvia experienced while in the factory town is completely rid of by the time that she spends among the rural country, it's animals and the unimposing environment.